This week I was just about to mail off by supposed dodgy Select decoder when I had a chat with my mate Mr Mackie. He suggested a few other troubleshooting tests. I didn't get any spare time at night during the week to do the tests (Masterchef and the Tour de France were getting in the way of my spare time!) but Saturday afternoon I started the first of the suggested tests. I went to my own layout and using my own NCE Powercab I started up the decoder. The popping noise was still present. So this ruled out a possible handset problem as I was using the Club's handset last week when I did the original install. I switched the layout over to DC to see if it is a DCC or DCC/DC based problem. The Select is an auto detect decoder so no problems there. However the popping noise was still present. Looking more and more like a decoder problem. The last test was to connect up my other Class 44 based Select to the speaker and EL pickups and see if the sound was still there. I did the required unsoldering of the current decoder speaker wires and soldering of the other decoder speaker wires on Saturday night. I didn't get around to testing this until late Sunday afternoon after our return from the Gold Coast Train Show. No popping sound. So it looks pretty much a 100% decoder problem. So now I can put all these troubleshooting tests down on paper and mail back to MRRC for replacement or fixing (I hope!).On the subject of the Gold Coast Train Show, I took the family on a day trip down to the coast on Sunday. We had lunch by the Broadwater before heading back to Ashmore PCYC for the show. The club (RMCQ) had taken down the HO and N exhibition layouts. This was the first show for the Gold Coast Miniature Train Club (I hope that is correct?) and it appeared to be fairly well patronised. Quite a few layouts and retailers present. Only probably one or two layouts that I hadn't seen before but good to see our club's layouts in their splendour, as well as a good turnout of operating crew from the club. One of these days when my boys are older I will hopefully be able to contribute my time on these outings a bit more. A few of the lads apparently were a bit sluggish come Saturday morning as the previous night's chug-a-lug of red beat the previous record set at the Toowoomba show. Boys will be boys whatever their age!Well this week will probably see me sorting out the dodgy decoder for mailing. I might also get in some scenery time on Illavearf and Lachlan's layout, but time (and catching up on Tour de France recordings from the last three weeks!) will tell.
I went to the club on Wednesday morning as I had some free time before an afternoon of appointments, so I took the oportunity of taking my EL class down to do some serious wiring away from the distractions (ie children) at home. Well after I had wired the track pickups and motor to the decoder it was time for a test. No sooner had I turned the test track on than a popping noise emanated from the speaker. This was even before I had turned the sound on the decoder ON! WTF! Could it be what looks like a stay-alive capacitor, as the popping noise was very regular in its rhythm. Like a capacitor charging then discharging. The PowerCab was saying that 0.3 amps was being drawn. So off with one of the cap leads to the decoder, but still no joy. the sound persisted. Arghhhhhhh, will this project never end?That night I put a query out to the Yahoo Loksound forum. By the morning I had a couple of replies which suggested a dud decoder. I emailed the store I had purchased it from, and they had no problems with me returning it for testing/replacement (hopefully!). As I had purchased another Select for my NSWGR Class 44, but had yet to install it, I thought it wise to check this one out before mailing anything back to the store. Sunday morning I took the Class 44 out and removed the shell. Not much room 'under the hood' on this model either. BANG, BANG, BANG goes my head! Oh well, I can still connect the decoder up and test the sound, but may have to do some creative installing later. Update on how this decoder went next entry.
It was the club monthly meeting on Staurday so I took Lachlan along. I also took along my new NOFF wagons for a spin as I hadn't even taken them out of the packing until then. So after the meeting was finished, I coupled up the six NOFFs behind my Class 44. They ran very smoothly. I was impressed (as were a few others at the club apparently). Probably some loads would weight them a bit better as well, so I have to come up with some different loads (minerals, pipes, spoil, timber, etc). Sunday morning I spent some time in the shed pondering Lachlan's layout. Before I knew it I had glued the tunnel portals to the mountain frame and started to cut up polystyrene foam ribs to form the mountain shape. Just a couple more to go and we can start the plastering. And the icing on the cake was discovering that the rat or rats are back and they seem to have a taste for the baits!This week I am hoping to get back to the EL class decoder install with a Wednesday morning visit to the club, sans children (hurrah!). Fingers crossed I can get a bit of work done on this project over the three or so hours that I will hopefully get.
I have added a new page, "Articles that I have written" under Pages to the right. Hopefully these might be helpful to someone someday?
Well this week the postie was kept busy with deliveries from all over Oz. I received my fibre optics from Gwyder, my new NOFF 6-pack from Trainorama, as well as a delivery from an Ebay seller. I was successful in winning a few auctions of OO gauge BR and GWR freight wagons earlier in the week. Having a look at them they appear not to have had much use. So a great buy in padding out the British outline fleet for Illavearf. Saturday morning I went shopping with Lachlan for presents for my birthday this week. Still focusing on Illavearf, I selected OO gauge tractor, landrover (without the roof), and a delivery truck from the Oxford and Scaledale ranges for the boys to give me. I also spent some time on Lachlan's layout getting a mountain and tunnel prepared. I finally got round to vacuuming up the rat poo yesterday, so I will check if any new droppings appear to determine if the rats are gone or just casually visiting the shed!The family and my dad had a trip on the Steam Train Sunday train yesterday. Perfect day for it. Out to Pinkenba and back to Roma Street. It was the baby's first ride. He enjoyed it and eventually fell asleep with the rocking motion. Dad also nodded off. The distinct 'smell of nostalgia' as I call the soot was great. Dad however described it as the 'smell of bad memories' from years spent commuting on steam and diesels in Brisbane before electrification.I haven't gotten back to the EL loco as I have been waiting on the fibre optics to arrive, and the baby has been unsettled most evenings with my arms being a great cradle! Sometime soon! I was hoping to have to finished for the Club meeting this weekend but I am dubious this will occur. Oh well, until next time.
